Karl Martin will lead Extension’s CNRED program

Karl Martin will serve as the next program director for the Community, Natural Resource and Economic Development (CNRED) program area at the University of Wisconsin-Extension, effective August 1.

UW-Extension offers timely access to University research and knowledge through educational colleagues in 72 county offices, on five 4-year campuses and within three tribal nations. The organization provides educational programs by teaming up with agriculture, meeting community challenges, strengthening Wisconsin’s families, and supporting young people through four program areas, of which CNRED is one. The other program areas are Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family Living Programs and 4-H Youth Development.

In his new role, Martin will provide overall leadership, direction and coordination for UW-Extension programs designed to support community-based needs, including economic development, leadership training, public policy, natural resources education and land-use planning.

“Dr. Martin brings great experience and leadership in natural resources to UW-Extension. He also has tremendous capacity to engage our colleagues who work with challenging issues facing Wisconsin’s communities, natural resources and economic development,” said Rick Klemme, Dean and Director of Cooperative Extension, a division of UW-Extension.

Martin comes to UW-Extension from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, where he served for six years as the chief for the Wildlife and Forestry Research Section. Prior to that, he worked eight years as a forest-wildlife research scientist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources based in Rhinelander. Martin holds an adjunct faculty appointment at UW-Madison’s Forest and Wildlife Ecology Department and is a 2010 graduate of the National Conservation Leadership Institute.

Martin has a doctorate in forest ecology and a master’s degree in wildlife science from Oregon State University and a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology from the UW-Madison.

Martin said of UW-Extension, “I’m particularly impressed with the high quality people, pragmatic mission and diverse aspects of the program. This is a great opportunity to work with internal colleagues and external partners to continue an already well-established and productive program.”